


Perfect Timing

by carolej126



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Gen, Magnificent Seven AU: ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 13:58:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4748933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolej126/pseuds/carolej126
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally published in Magnificent Holidays 6 (Neon Rainbow Press, 2008)</p><p>Written in response to a "Finish the Story" Challenge</p><p>Sometimes fate steps in with perfect timing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perfect Timing

Chris looked at the members of his team. They had been planning for this day for weeks. When they woke this morning little did they know what fate had in store. It would make things interesting, but as always they would pull together and make it work.

*******

The clock read 6:07 p.m. when the last light was turned out and the final straggler left the room, heading for the rendezvous point. Everything should be in place by now - he hoped. He'd missed most of the planning, and the unending pile of paperwork on his desk, all due by that evening, had meant that he'd had to leave all of the set-up to the other members of the team. 

And while he knew that they were more than capable of taking care of the required tasks, he also knew that they, as a group, had a tendency to "fool around" once a stressful bust had come to a successful end. And this week's bust fit that category to a "T."

And... there was also what the rest of the team didn't know. He's fought to keep the secret ever since discovering the one thing that would require a small change to their plans. Something that, in his opinion, would make the evening even more special. Several times, he'd almost given it away, and he half suspected Vin, at least, knew something was off. But, if so, the sharpshooter had kept his suspicions to himself.

Chris made a small stop on his journey, picking up several items which he carefully set on the seat beside him. Several times during the trip, his gaze shifted from the road to the two brown bags, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

Normally, Chris was a man who groaned at fate, but this time… This time fate had stepped in with perfect timing.

Pulling his Ram into the parking lot behind the Saloon, his smile grew wider. There, in a row, were six familiar vehicles. The rest of the lot was empty, an unusual occurrence for the popular establishment. But there had been a sign on the front door for weeks, informing patrons of the bar that the bar would be closed for one night - and that night had finally arrived.

The sound of exuberant voices greeted him as he entered through the back door, and he followed the sound easily. The loudest voices were, unsurprisingly, those of Buck and JD, who apparently were arguing over the placement of... something - he wasn't sure what. Ezra's smooth drawl could be heard intermixed with Vin's distinctive Texan accent, and Josiah was... Chris listened for a moment. Josiah was talking quietly with Nathan, the two men alternately speaking and laughing at something.

Carefully carrying his purchases, Chris made his way toward the long table set up against the back wall.

“Hey, Cowboy.”

Chris nodded in the sharpshooter’s direction. “Vin.”

“Hey, Chris!” JD practically flew across the room. Eyeing the bags in Chris’s grasp, he asked, “Want me to take those?”

Chris shifted his body slightly, trying to keep JD from seeing what was inside the bags without being too obvious about it. “No, thanks, JD,” he said, waving the younger man off. 

“Okay,” JD answered. He gestured toward the side wall, where Buck was still standing. “How do you like it?”

Chris moved closer to the wall, where he could inspect the photos that JD and Buck had put up. There were a few individual pictures of each of the seven men, but most of the photos were of the team. Shots included the men relaxing with beer and pizza after a bust, camping in the mountains, fishing at a nearby stream, celebrating birthdays, and covered in mud after an impromptu touch football game. 

While the pictures served to show that the men enjoyed each other’s company, both on-duty and off, they also told a story, chronicling the change that they’d undergone over the past year, moving from a team of co-workers, to a family.

“Looks good,” Vin said, studying the pictures just as intently. He pointed at a picture of JD. “Hard to believe that was taken a year ago.” 

Chris nodded his agreement. The youngest of their team had come to them as a “kid,” but there was no mistaking the fact that he’d grown up since then. 

“Look at this one,” JD said with a laugh. He directed their attention to a photo of Buck. “That was right after Buck got slapped by that-“

“Hey!” Buck protested. “That wasn’t my fault.”

“Yeah, right, Buck.” JD shook his head, rolling his eyes for effect. “We all knew that one was trouble.”

Buck’s eyes lit up. “She may have been trouble, but the way she could-“

“Too much information,” chorused six men in unison, laughing as Buck grinned in what could only be described as a lecherous manner.

As the other men moved back to their various tasks, Vin and Chris looked at the picture that held center stage on the wall. Unbeknownst to them at the time, Buck had snapped their picture just as they’d turned to look at each other, laughing, a smile on both of their faces. 

“Happy Anniversary, Cowboy,” Vin said.

“Hard to believe Team Seven is a year old.” Chris smiled. “Of course, with all of the trouble we’ve given Orin over the past twelve months, he probably thinks it’s been ten years.”

Chris glanced at the refreshment table, his eyes widening at the large amount of food and drink. Finger foods of various kinds held court with a multitude of salads and desserts. At the end of the table were assorted bottles, with everything from wine and beer to soft drinks. 

The seven men had definitely outdone themselves – and would probably gain at least ten pounds in the next hour or so.

“Gonna add your stuff?” Vin asked, looking at the bags Chris still held. 

Chris nodded, but replied, “But not just yet.” 

At that moment, a familiar figure entered the bar. Orin Travis made his way toward the team leader, followed by his wife.

“Orin,” Chris greeted, holding out his hand in welcome.

“We’re on our way to the theatre,” Travis said, exchanging smiles with his wife, “but we both wanted to stop by to offer our congratulations.” He looked at Chris. “Have you told them yet?”

Chris shook his head. Opening his mouth to speak, he was surprised by a piercing whistle that blasted through the room. 

“Just thought I’d help,” Vin laughed.

As the rest of the men gathered around, Chris took a bottle of champagne out of one of the bags he held. 

“It was one year ago today that Team Seven was formed,” Chris began.

“The Magnificent Seven,” Buck bragged. 

“Buck,” Chris reprimanded, but no one missed the smile on his face.

“Let him finish,” Nathan encouraged.

Chris looked at Travis. “Originally this party was planned to celebrate that anniversary.”

“What do you mean?” JD asked.

“Two weeks ago, Orin gave me some news. Believe me, it’s been very hard keeping it from you.” Chris grinned. “But I wanted to tell you today, on our one year anniversary.”

“We’re waiting, brother,” Josiah said. 

Chris took a deep breath. “For the very first time in the history of the ATF, an entire team has been given the coveted-“ 

“Just tell us, pard,” Buck interrupted impatiently.

Chris took a deep breath. “Every member of Team Seven has been awarded the ATF Distinguished Service Medal.” He held up the champagne. “I-“ Chris never had a chance to finish as the room exploded with noise.

“Woo hoo!” Buck yelled, grabbing JD and lifting him off his feet. Josiah exchanged a satisfied nod with Nathan before slapping Ezra on the back, nearly knocking the smaller man off his feet.

Struggling to maintain his balance, Ezra shot the older man a glare, but everyone could see the twinkle in his eyes. 

Chris just laughed as his men shifted gears, happily adding a well-deserved reward to their reasons for celebrating. And as his gaze met Vin’s, both men, in unison, held out a hand, connecting, as they always did, with a familiar forearm grip. 

 

~end~


End file.
